CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (KCRG) – On July 5th, Cedar Rapids Police arrested a woman on a plethora of theft-related charges. Police say an investigation into 44-year-old Jennifer Lynn Smith began in November 2021 when authorities were notified by an outside agency that a victim’s identity was used with the intent to defraud. Officials say Smith is alleged to have assumed the identities of multiple people from around the county. Smith reportedly purchased vehicles and set up utilities in the names of others, and established many financial accounts that caused losses to various banks and credit unions. Following her arraignment, Smith’s bond has been raised to $100,000.
FAIRFIELD, Iowa (KCRG) – Tuesday at approximately 11:32 pm, Fairfield Police were dispatched to the 1100 block of West Hempstead Avenue for a report of a possible burglary in progress. Responding officers located the homeowner in a physical altercation with 20-year-old Jose Perez-Rojas. Officers detained Perez-Rojas and learned that more subjects had fled the area prior to police arrival. An investigation found that Perez-Rojas and other subjects forced entry into the home in an attempt to steal items from the homeowner. After the subjects forced the door open, the homeowner and his dog engaged in a physical struggle with them. Perez-Rojas has been charged with Robbery in the Second Degree, and Conspiracy. Anyone with additional information is asked to call Fairfield Police at 641-472-4176.
CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (KCRG) – The Cedar Rapids School Board President told TV9 district lawyers are instructing the district to not comment on an issue it’s a “cyber security incident” on Wednesday night. The incident essentially shut down the Cedar Rapids Community School District for a week. The closure has left parents struggling for childcare and nonprofits organizing to serve meals. Officials from the Cedar Rapids Community School District have declined to say if money or if student or staff personal information was stolen. The district hasn’t released any specific details related to the “cyber security incident” either as of Thursday night, around four days after the district’s announcement to parents. ISU professor Doug Jacobson said the district might not even know the extent of their issues. He said it can take days to weeks to understand the consequences from a potential hack. He also said the resources, like staff size and larger budgets, along with the amount of data make government entities a target for hackers.
MUSCATINE, Iowa (KCRG) – On Thursday, 30 years to the day he began serving the community, a Muscatine Police officer was honored with the Life Saving Award. Lt. Jeff Jirak was honored with the award during the July 7th Muscatine City Council meeting. The award is given to an officer who, while acting within the scope of their duties, saves the life of another person.
“On June 23, 2022, Lieutenant Jeff Jirak was on patrol and dispatched Muscatine Community College Dorms for a female who was unresponsive and not breathing. Lt. Jirak was met by a distraught female who led him to the apartment where the female was located. Lieutenant Jirak noticed the female was purple, blue in the face, and was not breathing. He immediately took over chest compressions and continued to do so until the Muscatine Fire Department arrived on scene. Lt. Jirak performed CPR on the female for approx. two (2) minutes. The Muscatine Fire Department arrived on scene and found that the female’s pulse was back. Lt. Jirak’s quick actions on scene are what saved this female’s life, by remaining calm during a critical incident and performing CPR on the female.”
Jirak was nominated by his supervisor Lt. Anthony “Tony” Kies, as well as Muscatine’s Chief of Police Brett Talkington.
